One prank too many
by AmazingWriter123
Summary: When Aragorn joins the Dunedain Halbarad finds out he has been pranked one time too many... Written for the Teitho challenge "Dialogue" where it was unplaced. Co-written with Meteorite102, give her lots of credit too!


**One prank too many**

Rating: K+

Summary: When Aragorn joins the Dunedain as Chieftain, Halbarad finds that he has been pranked on one time too many.

"Ada, why is everyone so sad today?" asked Eldarion.

"And why is my mother sick?" asked Elboron.

"There was a great battle in the Fields of Pelennor during the War of the Ring," explained Aragorn, "many people died defending Gondor."

"Did you know any of them?" asked Eldarion.

"I did," said Aragorn, "but there were too many to recall."

"Can you tell us about some?" asked Elboron. "Father tells stories when he is sad."

"You are sensible for a ten year old," praised Aragorn. "If you wish then I will tell you a story."

"Yes do tell," said the boys in unison.

"Very well then, sit down," said the king, gesturing to some of the chairs in the room. "I was just a young Dunedain out of Imladris with no experience when I met a man called Halbarad, a man who had been chieftain in my stead for thirty years…"

T.A 2950

"Chief do you want your feathered bed back?" teased Tarest good naturedly.

"I would not mind," replied Aragorn with a laugh.

"Of course you wouldn't," said Halbarad from his place, "you are chieftain but you know nothing of this life."

"What makes you think I don't?" asked Aragorn a bit heatedly.

"Well," began Halbarad. "You have grown up in Imladris and you are new here so how will you know anything about our life. I have no idea how you became the ch-" 

Aragorn cut him off. "I'm warning you, Halbarad. You are not allowed to speak to me like that."

"I will speak in whatever way I wish and you will not stop me." said Halbarad angrily.

"I am the chieftain!" Aragorn shouted. "And you will listen to me!"

"I listen to nobody except myself!" yelled Halbarad before storming off.

"Hmm... Thinks a bit too much of himself, doesn't he?" asked Tarest, who had been present throughout their heated exchange.

"I'll have to teach him a lesson," said the still seething Aragorn. "I'm just waiting for the perfect opportunity."

Later, in the evening, when everyone was setting up camp, Aragorn was looking quite smug.

"Someone is looking really happy," said Tarest. "What is the reason behind it may I ask?"

"Oh I've found my opening, Tarest. I know what to do about Halbarad." said Aragorn with a grin. "I'll need your help. You will have to convince Halbarad to take the second watch and you will have to take the first. That will give me enough time to set up."

"I could do that", replied Tarest. "It may take a lot of convincing, but I'll manage. So what is that you are going to do?"

"From our fight with the orcs earlier today, no orc survived and I hid one of the carcasses before they were burnt. I thought maybe I could use one to scare Halbarad and make him think there is an orc in the camp." said Aragorn.

"Oh that will be quite a sight," chuckled Tarest.

"Now go start convincing him." commanded Aragorn. "I'll go get the body."

By the time Aragorn returned, all was dark and quiet.

When he got closer, he recognized the voices as Tarest's and Halbarad's.

"I'm telling you, everything will be fine. You can take the second watch." he heard Tarest say.

"Well then I suppose I'll take the next watch, though only the valar know why you want the first one," Halbarad said resignedly and then there was complete silence.

Aragorn dragged the body up to Tarest and said, "Good job. Now help me tie up this foul creature."

Aragorn and Tarest tied up the Orc body to a support and then Tarest went to wake Halbarad.

When Halbarad saw the orc, he started screaming, "Orc! Orc! Orc in camp! Everybody come on!"

Hearing Halbarad's screaming everybody woke up and ran out with swords brandished and bows and arrows at the ready.

With a mighty battle cry, Halbarad slashed at the orc. That's when the support showed. The look on Halbarad's face was priceless.

Everyone else was still trying to figure out what happened and where the orcs were.

Tarest started laughing really hard and elbowing Aragorn, "Hahaha! Did you see that? That was amazing and totally worthwhile, wasn't it?" Aragorn tried to quiet Tarest but Halbarad had already seen them.

That's when everything dawned on him and he became furious. He stalked up to them and said, "Oh so this was all your doing?"

"Well, that is true but you must admit I really got you there, didn't I?"

By now everybody else had realized what had really happened and were laughing along with Tarest.

Halbarad finally cracked a smile. "Fine that was a good joke on me. But no more of these acts, do you understand?" he said sternly, "and Tarest you are grounded."

Tarest looked annoyed, "It was hardly my fault," he huffed and went inside his tent.

"Who taught you to yell Halbarad?" asked Aragorn meekly.

"Nobody taught me to yell and right now you should not even be having the cheek to laugh since your new best friend has just gotten himself into a lot of trouble. You think it was funny to have me wake up and a kill an already dead orc?" scolded Halbarad.

"Well, yes," grinned Aragorn, "you're funny cousin, I'll give you that."

"Funny my feet," huffed Halbarad, "now go see if Tarest is alright."

"As you say," said Aragorn happy to have an excuse to get away.

"Don't stray too far," warned Halbarad, "the night is coming and it is said that the Nine are abroad once more."

"I won't," promised Aragorn, "Tarest and I have a lot to talk about. Tarest come out of your tent."

"Am I still grounded?" asked Tarest's muffled voice from inside the tent.

"Just come out I have an idea," said Aragorn, and this time Tarest obeyed.

"Let's take a walk to the pond," suggested Aragorn.

"But Tarest is grounded," protested Halbarad.

"I don't see why that matters," replied Aragorn and led Tarest away quickly.

"Listen Tarest," he began once they were out of earshot. "Halbarad says the Nine are abroad. It is very likely that they will come here sooner or later. How about if it is sooner?"

"Are you serious?" asked Tarest, "we could be in big trouble."

"That is why this time I will take the lead," said Aragorn and whispered a plan in his friend's ears.

XOXOXOXOX

_The next night…_

"Aragorn is in trouble, you must come with me," begged Tarest. "He fell off my black horse and hurt his head really badly."

"Aragorn fell off a horse?" asked Halbarad incredulously, "What did he learn in Imladris then?"

"I swear he fell off the horse," persisted Tarest, "you must come with me."

"Very well, lead the way," said Halbarad at last.

"He was here, I swear," said Tarest when they arrived and no one was there.

"Then an injured Aragorn who fell off his horse got on it without assistance and went back another way. Tarest if this was a joke it isn't funny so let us just go back," said Halbarad with a sigh.

"Eeeeeeeeee… eeeeeee… aaeeeeee," a shrill voice cried from only some distance away.

"Is it one of Them?" asked Tarest in a scared voice.

"Maybe it is, maybe it isn't, but I am going to investigate," said Halbarad.

"Can I come too?" asked Tarest.

"No, you go back to camp and make sure we have a fire," said Halbarad leaving no room for argument.

"Fine," sighed Tarest, "but please be careful."

"I will," promised Halbarad and rode off.

"Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeee….eeeeeee…aaeeeeee," shrieked Aragorn, and then whispered to himself, "I am leading him on a fine chase. Now come on Failivrin off we go." Tarest's horse was happy to obey.

"Where on Arda did that Nazgul disappear?" wondered Halbarad, slowing to a stop. "Ah, I think I see him again."

Then he whispered to his horse, "Come on Anor, and go faster, we must see how many there are."

"Eeeeeee…eeeeeee…aaeeeeee," Aragorn screamed again, "I've left Halbarad behind," he said to himself.

"_Thud…thud…thud,"_ the sound of horse hooves was too close to escape.

"I spoke to soon," muttered Aragorn.

"For the Dunedain!" yelled Halbarad and swung his sword at Aragorn.

"That was just the flat of the sword and it does hurt," thought Aragorn, "a plague on the pride of the Dunedain, I really must own up."

"Go back and lie in your filthy graves," said Halbarad and swung his sword for the deadly blow.

Aragorn ducked, but really fell off his horse this time, "I beg for mercy cousin."

"Aragorn? What do you think you were doing?" scolded Halbarad. "Do you know anything could have happened? What if Tarest had called someone else who didn't stop in time? What if you had really injured yourself with that first blow? What if I had really killed you? What if… It is very simple now… you are grounded."

"Nothing happened Halbarad, it was a joke," protested Aragorn. "I am sorry if I scared you."

"Apology accepted," replied Halbarad in a gentler tone. "Now are you hurt?"

"A big bump on the head, and a shallow cut on the arm," said Aragorn, "and a few bruises here and there if those count. Now you even injured me, you can't ground me after _this_."

"Fine but this time is just an exception, you should feel lucky for that cut," said Halbarad, relenting.

"Can you help me onto Failivrin?" asked Aragorn.

"No I cannot," snapped Halbarad.

"Suit yourself," mocked Aragorn, mounting Failivrin with ease.

"Aragorn you are in no position to make insults," warned Halbarad, "I can still ground you."

"Fine I'll be quiet," said Aragorn and slumped in his saddle. "Another that went wrong," he murmured.

"What went wrong?" asked Halbarad.

"Nothing, just thinking about how another one of my plans went wrong. Yesterday I invited Elrohir and Elladan to stay with us for a few days. I never even thought of this joke at that time," answered Aragorn.

XOXOXOXOXOX

_At camp…_

"Aragorn needs a healer to see to him," Halbarad told one of the younger Rangers.

"I'll just go ask the senior healer to come along," said the Ranger.

"No, please leave it cousin," Aragorn begged Halbarad, "I don't want to explain the whole story to the healer."

"Then I'll do it myself," said Halbarad.

"So you do care," said Aragorn with a smile.

"I do," agreed Halbarad, "but that doesn't mean you push it."

"I'm sorry for doing what I did," apologized Aragorn, looking meek.

"Apology accepted once again. It's alright Aragorn, it was a joke, I understand."

"Thanks, does that mean I'm not punished at all?" asked Aragorn, a cheeky grin appearing on his face.

"Argh… a plague on the cheek of a certain chieftain," cursed Halbarad, "You'll be punished alright if you don't be quiet."

_A week later…_

"I want to have some fun, it has been so uneventful for the past week." complained Aragorn.

"What do you suggest we do then?" asked Tarest.

"Do you think we could try a last joke on Halbarad?" asked Aragorn with a grin.

"What do you have in mind?" asked Tarest, his voice dropping to a whisper.

"Is there something he's really scared of…" wondered Aragorn.

"I think we'll know soon enough," replied Tarest, "didn't you hear the news last night. Halbarad's father is coming tonight. And he's sure to tell us something good."

_That night…_

"So do you folk know that Halbarad hates waterfalls?" said Halbarad's father.

"And why is that?" asked Aragorn.

"Well young Chieftain, you see Halbarad was rather careless while he was going up a waterfall to collect something for his mother…and he fell right in!" replied Halbarad's father, and everyone around the fire roared with laughter.

"I didn't think Halbarad was afraid of anything," said Tarest in astonishment. "He tried to go face a Nazgul on his own, only the Nazgul was Aragorn and not the real thing."

"I think he can do that quite easily," said Halbarad's father.

"I am still here," huffed Halbarad, and went off with what little dignity he had left.

"I think I have an idea," whispered Aragorn once everyone had fallen asleep, "a most basic prank yet one of the most annoying ones."

"And what is this master plan of yours," inquired Tarest curiously.

"Oh a rather simple matter," said Aragorn, "you say you are going to fill water from the stream. You fill a bucket. I'll take Halbarad on the forest road to the nearest village. Only I'll stop about half way. And then you give a sign and I'll get him under a tree and then you empty the bucket on his head. He'll get a waterfall to himself."

Tarest smiled, "I'm happy I'll get to see his face. We'll do it tomorrow."

_The next morning…_

'Halbarad do you want to come for a walk?" asked Aragorn.

"Why not, just let me put on better clothes," replied Halbarad.

"I don't think you'll need them we'll take the forest road to the nearest village and then turn back. Come on let us go!" said Aragorn and paced back and forth to show his impatience and enthusiasm.

"Fine, lead on," consented Halbarad.

"So Halbarad does your father visit us often?" asked Aragorn as they walked.

"Yes and it is a pain. Every time he has one story or the other and the men will give him ten stories for him to go narrate at the village," replied Halbarad.

"I guess it is a pain," agreed Aragorn, "though I wouldn't mind my mother visiting once in a while."

"_Whee…whee…whee," _a soft whistle echoed from the nearby tree.

"There's a kingfisher in the tree there," exclaimed Aragorn.

"Where?" asked Halbarad.

"There, there on the left branch, go underneath it and see," said Aragorn pointing out a place where he saw Tarest who was carefully concealed.

Halbarad walked under it and looked up, "Where? I don't see it," he said squinting into the trees leaves.

"_Splash!" _Halbarad was dripping water, and Tarest and Aragorn were roaring with laughter.

"Tarest come down from that tree before I drag you down," called Halbarad, and there was a steely edge to his voice.

"That was a good one wasn't it?" asked Aragorn to nobody in particular.

"_Elbereth, _you call that good! It was the worst joke imaginable," scolded Halbarad. "And it has just grounded you two for two weeks."

"Two weeks but that's so unfair," protested Tarest.

"You deserve it," replied Halbarad smoothly, "and believe it this won't blow over as easily as the last."

XOXOXOXOX

_A month later…_

"Can you help me?" asked Halbarad.

"What help do you need?" asked Elrohir, curious.

"That cousin of mine has played jokes on me multiple times. I forgave him at first but seems like he thought that the third time is the best and scared me to death by playing the simplest of pranks. I want revenge and your help," explained Halbarad.

"Well, if that's the case Estel has gotten better at playing pranks than I thought," mused Elladan, "and vengeance won't get you anything."

"I suppose you know," said Halbarad lightly, "but just tell me something that would give me an advantage and I'll leave you out of it."

"Well that's easy," replied Elrohir with a grin, "Estel is petrified of spiders after a certain adventure he had in the forest of Mirkwood."

"_Hannon le,_" thanked Halbarad, "you just gave me an excellent idea."

"So long as I'm not to blame…" said Elladan.

"You won't be," promised Halbarad.

XOXOXOXOX

_A week later on a scouting trip…_

"Tarest can take first watch tonight," said Halbarad, "and I'll take the second and third. You can sleep tonight Aragorn."

"As you say Halbarad," yawned Aragorn, "it was a tiring day, but good fun with just the three of us."

"Goodnight," said Halbarad, settling into his sleeping bag.

"Good night," replied Aragorn doing the same.

"Get up Halbarad;" whispered Tarest, "it's time for your watch, though only the valar know why you want two of them."

"None of your business," retorted Halbarad.

XOXOXOXOX

_The next morning…_

"Aragorn wake up and go get some water for us," said Halbarad.

"Ten more minutes," murmured Aragorn and rolled over in his sleeping bag.

"Get up right now or do you want me to dump some of that icy water from the pond on you?" asked Halbarad.

"I'm getting up, leave me alone," grumbled Aragorn.

"Alright, but we break camp in another twenty minutes whatever your condition may be," earned Halbarad.

"And Aragorn has finally gotten out of his sleeping bag," declared Tarest with a cheeky grin.

"Is there something on my neck?" asked Aragorn after a moment's pause.

"I see nothing, check in the pond," advised Halbarad.

"I think there is something," said Aragorn walking over to look in the water, "I feel it on my back too."

"Look for yourself I don't see anything," replied Halbarad, barely smothering a grin.

Aragorn walked over to the pond, looked at his reflection and screamed, "There's a spider on my neck! What do I do?"

"What people usually do when they have spiders on their neck?" suggested Tarest.

"I suppose that'll have to do," said Aragorn in a rather panicky voice. "That'll do I guess." He dived headlong into the pond.

"Hahahahahaha," laughed Halbarad in the most undignified manner, "Aragorn's afraid of spiders, harmless little spiders."

"That was not funny," said Aragorn with a frown.

"Well," replied Halbarad, "it wasn't funny when I had an orc over my sleeping bag, a Nazgul somewhere near me and a waterfall forming right over my head. Face it Aragorn, now we're even."

Aragorn grinned and replied, "Friends?" he asked holding out his hand.

"Friends," agreed Halbarad, taking the outstretched hand.

"In you come," muttered Aragorn, and before Halbarad could pull away he was spluttering.

XOXOXOXOXOX

**Fourth Age of Arda**

"So how did Halbarad die ada?" asked Eldarion.

"He was outnumbered by the southrons at Pelennor. His death was one of the many in battle, and the reason for the first year after my coronation I could never tolerate the Harad. Tarest fell in the battle against the Nazgul at Sarn Athrad. They were both my dearest friends," answered Aragorn, his tone leaving no room for questions.

"What would you say if we had a prank war with your cousin Elfwine," suggested Eldarion to his friend, "he is pretty mean to my sisters sometimes."

"Well you are scared of those horses of his so you'd better watch how far you go!" said Aragorn.

_**The End**_


End file.
